Abstract / Summary
Abstract Background Behavioral parent training is an effective intervention for reducing behavioral difficulties in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and for improving parental functioning, yet not all families benefit equally. The mechanisms through which changes in parents’ behavior, emotions, and cognitions translate into improvements in child behavior remain insufficiently understood, particularly given the likely interrelated nature of these processes. Previous studies have typically examined parenting components in isolation and relied on limited time points, making it difficult to capture the temporal and sequential dynamics that may drive intervention effects. This study aims to clarify the sequence and interplay of changes in parents and children following behavioral parent training, using ecological momentary assessments in daily life to provide a detailed picture of how change unfolds. Methods Participants are parents of children aged 6–10 years with a confirmed ADHD diagnosis and daily noncompliant behavior. A multiple-baseline single-case experimental design (MSced) with randomized baseline will be used. Twelve families will receive a tailored, single-session behavioral parent training, delivered by an experienced clinical psychologist. Parent and child outcomes - including parenting behaviors, parental cognitions, parental emotions, and child behaviors - will be assessed twice daily for 63 days using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). Changes before and after the training will be analyzed using multilevel autoregression, and temporal relationships among variables will be explored using time-varying vector autoregressive models to create individualized temporal networks. Discussion This study will provide detailed insight into how behavioral parent training affects both parents and children, including the dynamic processes of change. Understanding these temporal patterns may inform more targeted and mechanism-driven interventions, helping to optimize training strategies and improve outcomes for families who do not fully benefit from standard programs. Trial registration The study is registered at ISRCTN – The UK’s Clinical Study Registry (ISRCTN73584371), date of registration April 16, 2026, registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN73584371